Halfling

Halflings are small humanoids, with features less Fey than Gnomes, and more closely resembling Humans

Halfings reproduce sexually and birth live young

Halflings had lifespans comparable with, but slightly longer than, humans. A halfling was typically considered an adult in their early twenties and some lived into their 150s.

Hilly grasslands are Halfling's preffered environment, but they can be found elsewhere

Halflings are omnivores with a great love of food and drink. It's said that there isn't a food in the world that a Halfling won't revel in. Also able to eat large quantities of food, far beyond where a Human would throw up.

Halflings lived in tight knit communities, but ones without leaders or nobles in the classical sense. They didn't look to one individual for guidance but instead their elders and community at large. Even in the Shyrland Confederation, the "leader" is more so a representative than anything else. Close families and communities have ensured that Halfling traditions have stayed intact practically since the dawn of time

Across Aeris, mostly in Val'Kara

The Shyrland Confederation

Halfling courtship involved providing for the other's partner, cooking delicious meals for one another, spoiling each other with little tokens of love, and giant bouquets of flowers. Halflings loved with everything they had, and showed it throughout their courtship.

Halfling relationships were marked by many celebrations of anniversaries over the smallest of things. First kisses were celebrated by the sweetest desserts, marriage and courtship anniversaries were celebrated with feasts and tales of happy times and reflection on hardships overcome.

Halfling

Halfling culture had a fondness for stories and legends and was rich in the oral tradition. So much care was put into the retelling of traditional stories and their preservation that halflings often unwittingly had access to lore about ancient and long-gone cultures or empires that others had long since forgotten about. Many halflings were able to recall some detail of the ancient past, though it was usually wrapped in the shrouds of legends. Halfling communities were tightly knit groups found around the world, usually near the settlements of other races, or far away. Most halflings didn't recognize the claims of kings or nobles as sovereign rulers but instead looked primarily to their family elders to guide them. This focus on bloodlines enabled halfling traditions to continue for millennia relatively intact. Halflings were deeply affected by Moraphan's terror, and a mistrust of the outside world became prominant, though mostly unspoken. And though Halfling culture was wary of the world, and many older Halflings told tales of trepidation, it did not stop Halflings of all ages from exploring Aeris.

Halfling were made by Morai-Tomaar, and the Halflings retained their clever and joyous spirit. Halflings were by nature joyful and friendly in their dealings with others. Because they lived in a world where they were surrounded by larger creatures, halflings tended to avoid notice, often deliberately, or at the very least, acted cordial towards the larger races. Halflings appeared deceptively harmless, meaning they were often beyond the notice of enemies that might otherwise pose a threat to them. The halfling mind was practical and halflings concerned themselves with their immediate surroundings. They took pleasure in simple things, with few aspiring to greatness in the same manner as humans. Some halflings did become adventurers, but usually this was a practice taken up for reasons of necessity rather than personal drive. Because of their love for home and family, halflings made loyal and courageous allies, willing to put their own lives at risk for the sake of others.   While many halflings did not have the ambition for adventure that some races did, most preferred trouble to boredom; the race was notoriously curious. Halflings were courageous, more so than many races, and their daring was often difficult to match. Many halflings also had a strong appetite for food and drink as well as narcotics and clothing. Similarly, many halflings were enthusiastic collectors, and loved to hold on to possessions won through skill and daring.     From the dawn of time the Halflings have lived in the region of Val'Kara known as Shyrland, Shyr meaning home in the ancient Halfling language. Here they lived in peace for thousands of years before Moraphan attacked. The Halflings fled, coming across the big folk for the first time, and going with them into exile. It was in exile that the Halflings were first exposed to the outside world, people and things they'd never seen before. The horrors of the Long Night stuck with them, and they'd carry these scars with them forward throughout history. Apart from the horrors of Moraphan's attacks, they found comradery and safety among the Elves, Humans, and Dwarves they met. Forging with those folk a reputation of kindness and positivity in a time of such overwhelming darkness. One Elvish writer alive at the time said of them:

"These Halflings as they're called carry the weight of these times just as much as we do, yet do not waver. While some of my fellow Elves have fallen into deep sadness, and the Humans and Dwarves lash out in their stress, these little folk carry the burdens of the time with a perseverance and strength unlike any I've seen in my nearly nine centuries of life" - Elora Balmenor

And indeed they continued to impress, a small force even joining in the Battle of the Red Fields. Afterward they joined the Empire in a surprising move, it offered them protection and little interference. They returned to their homeland expecting to find it in ruins and completely razed. Yet they found it practically untouched, they did not know what had preserved their homes but thanked Morai-Tomaar and celebrated for the next year and a half.   Throughout history the Halflings have been seen to endure every hardship Aeris has thrown their way. Famine, war, invasion, cataclysm, none enough to stomp them out. Most notably was the Krazkow disaster, where the Halflings defended Shyrland from Krazic invaders. Now Shyrland and the Halflings stand at the dawn of a New Millennium, boundless danger and potential on the horizon.

Bertram Silverstring Sanys Zeftix